The present invention relates generally to hydraulically operated implements. In particular, this invention relates to supports for hydraulic hoses carried by the tongue of a pull-type harvesting implement.
Pull-type harvesting implements have been utilized for various harvesting operations for many years. These harvesting implements, supported primarily by ground engaging wheels, are made in a variety of configurations, but normally include components supported on a frame. One of these components is a pivotal draft member, commonly called a drawbar or a draft tongue. For convenience, any draft member discussed in the following description will be referred to as a draft tongue.
In pull-type harvesting implements, the draft tongue is pivotally mounted to the frame and is connected at the forward end to a tractor that provides both motive power and operational power to operate the crop harvesting header. The tractor also provides a source of hydraulic fluid under pressure from a conventional on-board hydraulic system carried by most modern tractors. The hydraulic fluid is needed to provide operative power for hydraulic components on the harvesting implement. For example, in pull-type harvesting implements, the pivotal movement of the draft tongue is controlled by a hydraulic swing cylinder interconnecting the frame and the rearward portion of the draft tongue, which is powered hydraulically by the tractor. Further, hydraulic lift cylinders and hydraulic tilt cylinders are additional hydraulic components that control the height and pitch of the crop harvesting header relative to the ground.
The hydraulic fluid is typically transported to and from the harvesting implement via a hydraulic conduit system that includes at least one flexible hose that extends from the forward end of the draft tongue to the tractor for connection to the tractor""s hydraulic system. The flexible hoses are typically only clamped for support thereof at the forward end of the draft tongue by a hose clamping bracket.
When the harvesting implement is in operation, the hydraulic swing cylinder is actuated, thereby causing the draft tongue to pivot about the forward end of the draft tongue connected to the tractor. Due to the large range of motion of the draft tongue relative to the tractor, the flexible hoses are subjected to considerable bending action at the forwardmost end of the draft tongue. In particular, the clamping of the hoses at the forward end of the draft tongue causes all of the bending of the flexible hoses to take place at a location immediately forward of the hose clamping bracket. As the draft tongue is pivoted, i.e., as the farm implement is swung to one side or other of the tractor, the bending action of the flexible hoses increases. This severe bending action causes a crimp in the flexible hoses, which results in a constriction of the opening in the flexible hoses, an increased pressure inside the flexible hoses, and overall wear and tear of the flexible hoses.
Additionally, because of the large pivotal movement of the draft tongue for centrally pivoted implements, the flexible hoses must be of a sufficient length for the draft tongue to pivot relative to the tractor. In conventional systems, extra length is provided to the flexible hoses to accommodate the wide range of motion of the draft tongue. However, this extra length could result in the hoses extending downwardly far enough to rub on the power-take-off driveline (PTO) during normal field positions, thereby causing excessive wear and tear on the hoses. Some manufacturers solve this problem by supporting the flexible hoses on a fixed support that extends forwardly and vertically from the top of the draft tongue. However, such a fixed support moves the bending point of the flexible hoses forward, and there is not enough length for the draft tongue to turn relative to the tractor.
Accordingly, an important object of the present invention is to provide a crop harvesting implement that overcomes the above mentioned problems encountered in the prior art.
It is another object of this invention to provide a crop harvesting implement that provides a pivoted hose support at the forward end of the draft tongue.
It is a feature of this invention that the pivoted hose support is mounted in a pivot bracket to the forwardmost end of the draft tongue.
It is another feature of this invention that the pivoted hose support includes a vertical portion which defines a generally vertical pivot axis about which the hose support can rotatably move in conjunction with the pivoting motion of the draft tongue relative to the tractor and the harvesting implement.
It is yet another feature of this invention that the pivoted hose support includes a hose clamping bracket that fixes the hoses to the hose support.
It is an advantage of the present invention that the rotation of the pivoted hose support allows the hoses to have less bending action.
It is another advantage of this invention that hydraulic hoses used to connect pull-type harvesting implements to a tractor will have a longer life.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a pivoted hose support that extends upwardly and vertically from the forwardmost end of the draft tongue.
It is still another feature of this invention that the pivoted hose support elevates the flexible hydraulic hoses above the power-take-off driveling (PTO).
It is still another feature of this invention to provide a pivoted hose support for a pull-type harvesting implement which is durable in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to maintain, easy to assemble, and simple and effective to use.
These and other objects, features, and advantages are accomplished according to the present invention by providing a crop harvesting implement operatively connected to a tractor to receive operative power therefrom and having a wheeled frame, a draft tongue pivotally connected to the frame and which extends forwardly from the frame to connect with the tractor, a hydraulic cylinder interconnecting the frame and the draft tongue to control the pivotal movement of the draft tongue relative to the frame, a hydraulic cylinder interconnecting the frame and the draft tongue to control the pivotal movement of the draft tongue relative to the frame, a hydraulic conduit system containing at least one flexible hose extending from the forward end of the draft tongue to the tractor, the hydraulic conduit system being operatively interconnected to the tractor and the hydraulic cylinder to provide a source of hydraulic fluid under pressure from the tractor to the hydraulic cylinder to control the operation of the hydraulic cylinder, and a hydraulic hose support pivotally mounted on the forward end of the draft tongue to support the flexible hoses at a position forward of the draft tongue. The pivoted hose support is mounted in a pivot bracket that is fixed to the forwardmost end of the draft tongue. The pivoted hose support includes a vertical portion defining a generally vertical pivot axis about which the hose support can rotatably move in conjunction with the pivoting motion of the draft tongue relative to the tractor and frame. The pivoted hose support also includes a support portion that projects away from the draft tongue and a hose clamping bracket that fixes the flexible hoses to the pivoted hose support.